{"id":82858,"date":"2024-01-21T01:44:55","date_gmt":"2024-01-21T01:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/?p=82858"},"modified":"2024-01-21T01:44:55","modified_gmt":"2024-01-21T01:44:55","slug":"browns-advised-to-reunite-with-former-starter-as-deshaun-watsons-backup-kieu-linh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/browns-advised-to-reunite-with-former-starter-as-deshaun-watsons-backup-kieu-linh\/","title":{"rendered":"Browns Advised to Reunite With Former Starter as Deshaun Watson\u2019s Backup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joe Flacco\u2018s playoff performance may have shut the door on a true QB controversy for the Cleveland Browns this offseason, but addressing the backup quarterback position remains a top priority with free agency less than two months out.<\/p>\n

\"Deshaun<\/p>\n

Deshaun Watson\u00a0continues his recovery from a November surgery to repair a broken bone in his throwing shoulder and has made only six starts in each of his first two seasons with the team. While the Browns fully expect Watson to start the 2024 campaign healthy, the end of their season made starkly clear the value of a feasible No. 2 option under center.<\/p>\n

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com on Friday, January 19, suggested one of two paths forward for Cleveland \u2014 either a reunion with Flacco or a reunion with\u00a0Jacoby Brissett, who started 11 games for the franchise to begin the 2022 season while Watson sat out due to a suspension from the NFL.<\/p>\n

\u201cFlacco, who turned 39 on Tuesday, saved the Browns\u2019 season, and they\u2019d be open to bringing him back as the backup to Watson if he doesn\u2019t find a chance to start elsewhere. Likewise, Flacco has made it clear he loves it here and would be open to a return,\u201d\u00a0Cabot wrote. \u201cThe Browns might also have a chance to bring back Jacoby Brissett, 31, if he doesn\u2019t get an opportunity to start elsewhere. \u2026 He knows the system \u2014 although it will likely change with a new coordinator \u2014 and is loved by his coaches and teammates, including Watson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacob Brissett Viable Backup Option for Browns in 2024<\/h2>\n

\"Jacoby<\/h2>\n
\n

Brissett led Cleveland to a 4-7 record two seasons past, though the Browns were more competitive than that win\/loss mark suggests.<\/p>\n

Cleveland dropped four of those seven games by three points or fewer and built a far superior defense in 2023 than the one that played opposite Brissett the year before. With the roster Cleveland has now constructed, even despite the potential offseason turnover, Brissett should have the potential to play .500 ball \u2014 or better \u2014 if the Browns need to turn to him for any extended stretch of time.<\/p>\n

Brissett, like Flacco, remains interested in an opportunity at a starting job. He played second-fiddle to second-year man\u00a0Sam Howell\u00a0with the\u00a0Washington Commanders\u00a0last season after losing the battle for the starting job in training camp.<\/p>\n

Brissett didn\u2019t start a game in 2023, though he appeared in three of them, completing 78.3% of his 23 total passes for 224 yards and 3 TDs, per\u00a0Pro Football Reference. Brissett threw for 2,608 yards, 12 TDs and 6 INTs across 11 starts with Cleveland in 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Joe Flacco Recently Spoke About Possible Return to Browns<\/h2>\n

\"Cleveland<\/h2>\n

Flacco became a fast fan-favorite after leading the Browns to a 4-1 record down the stretch. His style was a strong fit with the offense, though that scheme may change, as Cabot noted Friday.<\/p>\n

Still, based on his success and connection with the fan base, Flacco is probably the preferred choice in Cleveland over Brissett. However, Flacco\u2019s play down the stretch may allow him this offseason the same opportunity to start that Brissett sought following the 2022 campaign.<\/p>\n

Flacco appeared on the January 18 edition of the \u201cPardon My Take\u201d podcast and spoke about his NFL future.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow lucky was I to get on a team that was ready to make a run like that and to be around a bunch of great guys in the locker room? There was something special about being there and how people treated me. I felt a lot of love, and my family did as well,\u201d Flacco said. \u201cI\u2019m open to [being] back in Cleveland, but I don\u2019t want to rush to any decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Joe Flacco\u2018s playoff performance may have shut the door on a true QB controversy for the Cleveland Browns this offseason, but addressing the backup quarterback position remains… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nfl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82858\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}